Advancing mechanism



July 1, 1958 1= v R. WALSH p -rAL 2,841,298

ADVANCING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 19, 1956 Pau] R. Walsh Geoxq'e D. Mohr "MIU United States Patent C) AnvnNoiNo MECHANISM Paul R. Walsh and George D. Mohr, Eugene, Oreg., as-

signors to Clear Fir Products Co. Inc., Springfield, Greg., a corporation of Oregon Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 623,248

5 Claims. (Cl. 214-1645) This invention relates to a novel advancing mechanism, and more particularly, to an advancing mechanism for advancing sheet material out of a press.

In the manufacture of pressed products, such as hardboard sheets, the practice has been to distribute an even layer of the material making up the body of the sheet over a dat plate element, and to transport the plate element together with the material deposited thereon to a suitable press where the sheet is formed by the application of pressure, or heat and pressure.

In a plant operation where pressed products are continuously being manufactured, considerable diiculties have been experienced in vacating the press of the compressed product to accommodate the introduction of untreated material. When plate elements are used with material deposited thereon, the plates are usually relatively thin so that efforts to vacate the press by sliding the plate containing untreated material against the plate temporarily in the press, thereby shoving this last-mentioned plate from the press, have generally proved unsuccessful due to the tendency of the plates to override one another. Warping and buckling of the plates through the use of high temperatures accentuates the problem. Attempts have been made to fix attaching devices of various sorts to the plate elements employed, and to pull the plate elements from the press using these attaching devices. Arrangements such as these have had the obvious disadvantages of requiring specially constructed plates, and in most instances a rather intricate and combersome mechanism to accomplish the removal of the plate elements. Y

Generally, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus for advancing bodies of sheet material from a press which takes care of the hereinbefore outlined difliculties in a highly practical and satisfactory manner.

More specically, it is an object of this invention to provide such an advancing apparatus which employs a pair of cooperating rolls adapted to engage opposite sides of a body of sheet material so as to positively grip the sheet body, rotation of the rolls serving to remove the sheet body from the press. Further, it is an object of this invention to provide such an advancing apparatus wherein the cooperating rolls are yieldingly held against the body of sheet material and wherein the rolls are moved towards one another when a body of sheet material is placed between the rolls in a manner that will readily accommodate variations in the thickness of the sheet body being handled.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for a multiple press which prepares a number of sheets simultaneously, an advancing mechanism having a pair of cooperating rolls for handling each of the sheets simultaneously, each of the co-operating pairs of rolls being adapted to conform to variations in sheet thickness.

rIhese and other objects and advantages are attained by the present invention, various novel features of which will become more fully apparent as the following descripn'on is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end view of an advancing mechanism embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section view along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the mechanism in the position it occupies while advancing bodies of sheet material from a press; and

Fig. 3 is a section View similar to Fig. 2, but illustratting the mechanism in the position it occupies before sheet bodies are introduced into the mechanism.

An advancing mechanism embodying this invention comprises, in general, a support structure, indicated at it), having vertical side members 11 and 12 and horizontal top and bottom members 13 and 14. Support structure 1t) is suitably secured to the ground, or otherwise rigidly fixed in place, adjacent a press generally indicated at 16. Press 16 is of conventional construction, having clamping elements disposed at the top and bottom of the press adapted to be moved together so as to compress material lying therebetween. In the manufacture of hardboard, the press is operated by first loading the press with a stack of plate elements, known as caul plates, each of the caul plates having deposited thereon a layer of wood fiber, and subsequently compressing the stack for a period of time and at an elevated temperature so as to form compressed sheets of hardboard. When the press is released, conventional mechanism associated with the press dislodges the caul plates within the press and moves the caul plates, together with the formed hardboard lying thereon, to a position wherein the ends of the hardboard sheets and caul plates project a limited distance beyond the forward side of the press. Thus in Fig. 2, which illustrates the condition ot the parts after completion of the press cycle and before the removal of the hardboard and caul plates from the press, caul plates 17 through 20 together with hardboard sheets 21 through 24 are situated with their ends protruding a slight distance beyond forming press 16.

Extending between vertical side members 11 and 12,

transversely of the path the caul plates follow in leaving forming press 16, are a series of horizontal rolls, or support roll members, 27, 2S, 29 and 31. With reference to support roll member 2S, each of the support roll members is rotatably supported at opposite ends in support structure 10 by suitable bearing assemblies such as bearing assemblies 32 and 33. Y A drive means is provided for rotating these support roll members. Referring to Fig. 1, aliixed to shaft eX- tensions of the support roll members are double sprocket members 34, 35, 36 and single sprocket member 37. A series of chains 33, 39, 4t), and 41 extend between and engage the various sprockets so that the support roll members rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby tending to urge sheet bodies placed thereon to the right outwardly of press 16. Chain 38 is driven by aV conventional electric motor (not shown).

Pivotally connected to support structure 1t) is a frame structure 42, comprised or" vertical members 43 and 44 and horizontal top and bottom members 46 and 47. Frame structure 42 is pivotally connected by means of four pivot links 4S, 49, 51 and 52, each pivot link pivoting at one of its ends on support structure l@ and at the other of its ends on frame structure 42. Pivot links 4S, 49, 51, 52 accommodate movement of the frame structure in a direction generally intersecting the paths of the bodies of sheet material advanced from press 16.

Radially spaced from and parallel to each of the support roll members is a complementary clamping roll member 53 through 56, respectively. Each of the clamping roll members is rotatably mounted at opposite ends in bearing assemblies disposed within the interior of the roll member. These bearing assemblies are supported on ture.

Y as air pressure, causes the frame structure to 4be pivoted Y lever `is spring biased by a ,compressionspring 63 'to a lowered position determined by aipin 62 abutting'the underside'ofthelever. Compression spring 63 has one of its ends seated von the upperfside of the support lever, andthetother of-itsends seated `on a suitable projection secured to frame section 42.. While levers 59, 61 and spring 63 are lshown positioned inside `frame 42, they may as an alternative be secured to the youter side of frame 42. s Y

Framestructure 42, and the support -leverspivotally ,connected thereto, are so arranged that when the support structure is moved downwardly fromthe raised position .it occupies in Fig. 3 to the'lowered position it occupies .in,Fig.`2, each .clamping -roll KVmember is moved adjacent its complementary support roll member. When bodies of sheet material, as for .example the bodies comprised .o f the caul plates and sheets `of hardboardshown in Fig. 2, are Yoverlying the Vsupport roll members, movement of the frame-structure downwardly is` accompanied by Y pivotal movement of the clamping rolls upwardly relative Yto the frame structure so as to accommodate the bodies of sheet material lying onthe support'rolls, The pivotal movement of the clamping rolls is resisted-by the compression spring, such as compression spring 63, so that regardless of the thickness of the body of sheet materialghandledby the rolls, the body of sheet material is Y' .firmly ,clamped between the rolls.

their other ends to bottom member 47 of the frameV struc Y Expansion of Vthe uid cylinders by suitable means,

0canbestfbe seen in Figs. 2 and 3,'to the outer side of roll member 27 is a iinger member 67 slidably mounted for reciprocationvin anelectrical switch controlindicated `generally at 68. Suitable biasing means/urges ingermember 67 upwardly to the position -it occupies in Fig. 3. When a body ofsheet material passesroverlingermem- Aber 67, the finger member isrdepressed, thereby actuat- "ing switch control 67 which governs a valve 70 Vso as t0 direct air'under'pressure -into the upper portions of the 'Y uid cylinders and permit air to escape `from the lower portions of the fluid cylinders. Depression VVof VVthe finger member'a'lso closes Vthe circuit to'the-motordriving drive chain 38. InthisV manner, rolls 27, 2S,-29,.31 arecaused to rotate, andat'lthe same time vthe frame-structure is pivoted downwardlywith respe'et'to supportfstructnr'el. Y I This condition is maintainedjuntil `the body fof-sheet material, represented by caulplate 17 and the `hardboard sheet 271, passesV over Vand 'beyond inger'memberf67. When this occurs, the fingermember is 'urgedI upwardly by theV biasing means-associated therewithrto the position the parts Voccupy* ,in Pig. 3,-movement'ofthe lingerrnem-V ber intoV this'rposition opening 'the' supply circuit ftothe motor driving drive chain 3S, and'directing air under pressure to the lower `portions of V,the duid cylinders and permitting the escape-of `air from the upper portions of the'Vv fluid cylinders.V Frame jstructurer42 is then pivoted upwardly vby Vthe fluid cylinders ,whereitfis ip-'condition- Y Y to receive theV next load of sheet material. "7.

k As illustrated in the drawings, the bodies of sheet ma? terial advanced by the advancing mechanism are passed forwardly into a suitable rack device, indicated generally at 69. Rack device 69 Vincludes a number of rolls, such as rolls 71 through 74, these rolls supporting the underside of the sheet bodiesrpassed upon the rack device.

From the foregoing it should be obvious that there has been disclosed a novel mechanism which is of comparatively simple construction, butwhich greatly facilitates the unloading ofpress mechanisms of Ythe type described. The bodies of'sheetrmaterial Ycontained'bythe press are vacated from the press by means of cooperating roll members which-grip opposite sides Vof the sheet bodies, @By driving oney of these rolls, preferably the lower one since this roll contributesV the greatest famount of'traction,`theY sheet bodies are moved outwardly from the press. The

advancing mechanism is adapted to handle sheetbodies having variousV thicknesses, since clamping of Vthe :sheet bodies between the roll members is V.done after Vthe'sheet bodies have cometo a position over the support rollmembers, the clamping roll members moving Ydownwardly overV ing roll members on frame structure ,212, the mechanismV described may be used Vto remove all of the sheet'bodies from a multiple press simultaneously, therebygreatly expediting the unloading Yof the press. tween each set of support, and clamping roll members is determined independently Yof the otherV `roll membersin the mechanism.V Y Y kWhile I have described butrone Vembodirnentlof this invention, it is vdesired `not to be limited thereto, and it is intendedrfto cover lall the modilications of the invention Y which would be apparent to one skilled inthe art and that come within the Ascope of the appendedrclaims. .Y

.Iclaimz Y f f 3 l. VIn the manufacture of sheetfrnaterial byV compressing matter irnapress, apparatus for advancing a body ofsheet material `along a path fromkthe press'comprising a rst V roll member extendingtransversely of said path adapted to engage one side of said body, means rotatably support-Y ing the'ends of said'irst roll member, a second roll. member radially `spaced from said first roll member adapted lto engage the other side of-said body,':a1fr`ame movableV in a direction .generally intersectingrsaid path, .mounting means carried by said frame rotatably supporting thehends of said secondroll member, Vmeans kactuated -whenfsaid body passes adjacent said firstroll member .wherebysaid framefis movedrelative tosaid pathf so thatesaid rstand second roll 'members engage opposite sidesofsaid body asV it advances Vin said path, 'biasing meansV operatively interposed Vbetween, said frame and mounting means for yieldingly'holding said second roll member against said Vbody whenrsaid second roll member'engages said body,

and Vdrive means 'for rotating one of'said roll members.

2, In the manufacture of sheets of'material by vcom -V fpressing matter in a .multiple press, Vapparatus for advancing bodies of sheet material along paths from the press comprising a plurality of support' roll members extending transversely of said paths, Yeach support roll member beingY adaptedto engage one siede of one Aof said bodies,'means Vrotatably supporting the VVends ofsaid support roll members, a complementary clamping roll member radially spaced from each Vof Vsaid support rolle-members, `said clamping roll memberspbeing adapted itoengage the other V VYside of `said bodies, ajframemovable in a directionfgen` Y erally intersecting said paths, mounting means arried by frame for each of saidclamp'ing roll members ro-V to `insure posi- The spacing bef saines tatably supporting their ends, means actuated when at least one of said bodies pass adjacent a support roll member whereby said frame is moved relative to said paths so that complementing support and clamping roll members engage opposite sides of said bodies as they advance in said paths, biasing means operatively interposed between said frame and each of said mounting means for yieldingly holding said clamping rolls against said bodies when said clamping rolls engage said bodies, and drive means for rotating said support roll members.

3. In the manufacture of sheet material by compressing matter in a press, apparatus for advancing a body of sheet material along a path from the press comprising a support; a support roll member extending transversely of said path and rotatably mounted at its ends in said support; a frame pivoted to said support for movement in a direction generally intersecting said path; a clamping roil member radially spaced from said support roll member; a pair of mounting members, one at each end of said clamping roll member, rotatably supporting each end of said clamping roll member and pivotally connected to said frame; biasing means operatively interposed between each of said mounting members and said frame resisting pivotal movement of said mounting members, power means actuated by the sheet body passing adjacent said support roll member operable to pivot said frame thereby to move said clamping roll member toward said support roll member so that said support and clamping roll members engage opposite sides of a sheet body as it advances in said path, and drive means for rotating one of said roll members.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said power means is operable to pivot said frame so as to move said clamping roll member away from said support roll member after he sheet body moves past said support roll member.

5. ln the manufacture of sheets of material by compressing matter in a multiple press, apparatus for advancing bodies or" sheet material along paths from the press comprising a support, a plurality of support roll mem bers extending transversely of said paths rotatably mounted at their ends in said support, each support roll member being adapted to engage one side of one of said bodies, a frame pivoted to said support for movement in a directien generally intersecting said paths, a complementary clamping roll member radially spaced from eac'n of said support roll members, said clamping roll members being adapted to engage the other side of said bodies, mounting members at each end of each of said clamping roll members rotatably supporting the clamping roll members, each mounting member being pivotally connected to said frame, biasing means operatively interposed between each of said mounting members and said frame resisting pivotal movement of said mounting members, power means actuated by at least one of said sheet bodies passing adjacent a support roll member operable to pivot said frame thereby to move said clamping roll members toward said support i roll members so that said support and clamping roll members engage opposite sides of sheet bodes as they advance in said paths, and drive means for rotating one set of roll members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,485,952 Apgar et al Oct. 25, 1949 2,685,374 Croston Aug. 3, 1954 

